The absence of Hakim Ziyech from the list of players summoned by Walid Regragui to face Gabon and Lesotho in the CAN 2025 qualifiers has raised many questions.
According to a source within the national team, Walid Regragui had initially included Hakim Ziyech in the extended list but was then excluded from the final list announced Thursday November 7.
According to this source, Ziyech’s exclusion is based solely on sporting reasons. The player has not had enough playing time recently, due to an injury picked up during a national team rally, as well as low playing time at his current club, Galatasaray.
Doubts had emerged over his call-up for the closing matches of qualifying for the African Cup of Nations, for two main reasons.
The first relates to his absence from the field due to his injury, and the second to a recent post on social media, which sparked mixed reactions to the way in which he expressed his support for the Palestinian cause.
Ziyech replayed his first match for Galatasaray in a while yesterday, playing 20 minutes against Tottenham in the Europa League after coming on in the 73rd minute.
Ziyech is one of the most notable players of the Moroccan team, thanks to his remarkable contributions, whether by scoring goals or providing assists. His international career has been marked by several twists and turns, including his past decision to temporarily withdraw from the national team, before returning following the departure of former coach Vahid Halilhodžić.
As a reminder, the former Ajax Amsterdam star started the match against Gabon on the first day of qualifying last September, and came on in the 57th minute against Lesotho on the second day, before his club announced a hamstring injury following his return from the national team.
Morocco
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